


Perfect Understanding [PODFIC AVAILABLE]

by RaeDMagdon



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F, Fingering, Oral Sex, Podfic, Podfic Available, Translators, Vanilla
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 10:11:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8282185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeDMagdon/pseuds/RaeDMagdon
Summary: Liara and Shepard's translators both go on the fritz. They find a better way to communicate.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my supporters. You guys are fantastic.
> 
> This fic now has a podfic version available! Click below to hear it. :D It's by the amazing @calyrica

Shepard was tucked in bed, trying to catch up on some much-needed sleep when the pulse hit. It was subtle at first, and if she had been concentrating on something instead of lying stretched out on her mattress with closed eyes, she might not have noticed at all. She saw the cabin lights flicker through her eyelids, and for a brief second, the hum of the fish tank cut out. It wasn't much, but the disturbance was strange enough to pull her out of a light slumber.

"EDI, what was that?" she asked, sitting up and stifling a yawn. The corners of her jaws cracked with the effort of holding it back, and she rubbed her blurry eyes with the sleeve of her shirt until they cleared.

It took EDI several seconds to answer: an unusual occurrence that made Shepard even more uneasy. Normally, EDI responded to her queries without hesitation. At last, the AI's familiar, soothing voice came over the comm: "I have detected an electromagnetic pulse, Shepard. It briefly disrupted all systems, but core functions are now stabilized."

Shepard's brow furrowed. "Wait, you mean the ship shut down?"

"Yes, for approximately .32 milliseconds," EDI said. "However, we are now back online. The surge was too brief to endanger any crew members or shut down life support."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good news, I guess. Any idea what caused it? Could it happen again?"

"The pulse appeared to originate from Doctor T'Soni's cabin. I believe she is currently busy examining an ancient Prothean artifact." There was a pause, as if EDI was considering whether to offer her opinion. "I suggest going to check on her."

Shepard smiled. "Taken under advisement, EDI. I'm off. Keep me updated if anything else shuts down."

"I will, Shepard, assuming I am not shut down as well."

That made Shepard grin uneasily at the ceiling. Even though she couldn't see EDI's face, it was hard to resist talking in the direction her voice was coming from. "Uh...yeah. About that. I'll just go tell her to put a pause on whatever she's working on, huh?"

"That would be the prudent thing to do." When EDI continued, it was in a voice that held an audible trace of smug amusement. "I am sure you will find a suitable way to occupy her valuable time."

"I hope so, EDI," Shepard mumbled as she headed out the door, although it was mostly to herself. She and Liara hadn't had much time to reconnect lately. Fighting off Reapers, keeping up with the Illusive Man, and convincing the entire galaxy to band together didn't leave much of an opportunity for renewing their romance. Whenever she and Liara were together, however, she felt it: an unspoken promise that, someday, when this was all over...

_ Assuming we even survive, _ the negative voice in her head said. Sometimes, it crept up on her in weak moments, and with each passing day, it took more energy than before to shut it down.

_ We will survive, _ she told herself, firming up her jaw as she summoned the elevator.  _ I've already missed out on two years and six months with her. After this damn war, I'm not waiting anymore. _

Thankfully, the elevator ride down to the third deck was without incident. The journey was smooth, and the lights didn't even flicker. She reached her destination quickly, hurrying off to the XO quarters at a brisk pace. If Liara was messing around with things in her cabin that could interfere with the Normandy's functions, that couldn't bode well.

When she reached Liara's cabin, she didn't bother knocking. She simply waited for the doors to flash green, and then stepped inside, letting Glyph announce her presence. He greeted her with his usual cheerful chirp: "Greetings, Commander Shepard," but after a short nod, she ignored him. Liara, who was standing at her terminal, had captivated much more of her attention. She turned, wearing a small, sheepish smile on her face that Shepard assumed was one of apology.

When she spoke, however, it didn't make any sense.

The words coming out of her mouth were smooth and strange, and although it was in Liara's voice, Shepard couldn't understand a single one. "Wait," she said, holding up a hand. "I think my translator just glitched. Come again?"

Liara repeated herself—at least, Shepard  _ thought _ she was repeating herself. She couldn't be sure. Liara was still speaking gibberish, and Shepard found herself growing annoyed. She reached up, touching the spot beside her ear where her translator had been implanted beneath the skin. Liara did the same, and it was only then that Shepard noticed the small crease of confusion between her beautiful blue eyes.

"Wait, you can't understand me either?"

Liara didn't respond. Instead, she shrugged her shoulders, as if in question. It was a human gesture that Liara must had picked up during her time on the original Normandy, and Shepard was relieved.  _ Let's hope she's got a few more of those gestures handy. I have a feeling we're going to need them. _

"Glyph," Shepard said, turning to the small drone, "what did Liara just say?"

Glyph whirred happily. "Doctor T'Soni apologized for the inconvenience. She says that she thinks the electromagnetic pulse from the artifact she was examining caused your translator to malfunction."

"Artifact?" Shepard gave Liara a questioning look. Either Liara was smart enough to figure out what she was curious about, or it was a lucky guess, because she pointed to something she had been examining on her desk. It looked to be a small, glowing pod of some sort, brown and gold like most of the prothean relics Shepard had seen. It was about the size of a closed fist, and not very impressive to look at. “This tiny thing caused my translator to malfunction?”

Liara looked at Glyph, and the robot spouted off something in more of the strange language Shepard couldn’t understand: probably translating her, if she had to take a guess. She had to admit, it didn’t sound nearly as pretty—when Liara spoke, it was like the rolling, hissing sigh of small waves breaking against the shore, rhythmic and churning. Glyph’s roboting tones were almost jarring in comparison.

With an annoyed look, Liara sighed and nodded her head, muttering something else.

“Liara apologizes…” Glyph said again, but Shepard wasn’t listening. Instead, she was entranced by Liara. Without understandable words to distract her, she was captivated by the round shapes Liara’s full lips made. They were beautiful, and her face flushed with heat. She knew Liara was frustrated, possibly even annoyed, but instead, the sounds coming from her mouth made Shepard want to kiss her. She was under a spell she hadn’t expected, and she didn’t want to break free.

_ Her voice has always been sexy, but this…  _ Her stomach gave a throbbing sort of twist, and her tongue felt thick in her mouth.  _ I wonder if it’s the language, or just the fact that it’s her talking? Wait.  _ An idea occurred to Shepard, and her heart fluttered with hope.  _ If I think hearing her speak her language is sexy and exotic, what would she think of my English? _

“You’re so beautiful,” she said, with all the sincerity she could. Hopefully, Liara would be able to hear it in her voice even without understanding the words.

Liara looked at her in surprise. She glanced at Glyph, obviously expecting a translation, but Shepard shook her head. “No, don’t translate,” she told the drone. Then, she reached out, carefully running her fingertips against the curve of Liara’s face. “I’m kind of glad you can’t understand me right now. I can say anything I want, and whatever you imagine in your head is bound to be better than the words I actually come up with.”

After a moment, Liara’s confusion seemed to dissolve into affection. Her expression softened, and she returned the gesture, cupping Shepard’s cheek with the opposite hand. She leaned forward, gazing into Shepard’s eyes, and the two of them lost themselves in each other for a long moment. Liara said something then in her strange, melodious speech, something Shepard understood perfectly even without her translator. It was a soft question, and Shepard answered it by sliding her fingers through the folds at the back of Liara’s neck and bending down for a kiss.

That part of their communication hadn’t changed at all. Their lips met softly at first, hesitantly, as if they were both waiting for permission. But then their mouths opened, and both of them sighed as one. Their tongues brushed, and Shepard shuddered at the familiar taste. There were so many times when she wanted to kiss Liara—before they hopped into the kodiak for missions; when they walked beside each other in the Presidium, hands almost touching; and especially when Liara came up to her cabin to "check up" on her. But she rarely took the opportunity. The weight of duty hung over them, and there was always the uncertainty of not knowing what to say, a reluctance to make promises or speeches of love when one of them might die the very next day.

But now, it didn't matter. The removal of her words had given Shepard a sense of freedom, a sense that she could do whatever she wanted. That awful weight, the cloud of uncertainty, had lifted, and she kissed Liara with more hunger, more passion. Liara responded. She made a soft moan, prettier even than the strange words she had been speaking, and Shepard felt firm fingers grasp the front of her uniform, urging her to keep going.

So she kept going. She removed her hand from Liara's neck, stroking down her back instead. Liara shivered at her touch, much as she had a few moments earlier, and pulled back from their kiss, gazing at her with cloudy blue eyes. Shepard had seen many emotions in them recently—fear, exhaustion, and hints of love that were never spoken. But now, for the first time in years, she saw something else: a smoldering flame of desire. It reminded her of better times—the night before Ilos, the night after they had killed the Shadow Broker—and she felt an insistent tug between her legs at the memory.

"I want you," she said, even though Liara couldn't understand her. Something compelled her to say the words, to speak them to the universe. "God, Liara, I...I've wanted you since Mars. Since before. But I didn't think it was fair. I didn't think I should, while so many people were dying."

She closed her eyes for a moment, but Liara's arms wrapped around her, pulling her into an embrace. Liara's warm breath whispered beside her ear, and although the words meant nothing to her, the meaning behind them was clear. Her lover had sensed her distress and was trying to offer comfort. But there was only one way Shepard wanted comfort this time. One thing that would make her feel better, make her feel whole. Moving slowly so Liara could stop her if she wanted, Shepard began undoing the buckles of Liara's labcoat, taking her mouth in another deep kiss.

Liara responded enthusiastically. Shepard was taken aback by the force of her kiss, and surrendered eagerly to the hands tugging at her uniform. They stripped each other swiftly, silently, the only sound the ragged pants of their breathing in the brief moments they broke apart. Liara's new outfit was a bit difficult, but Shepard managed to figure it out. When her hands wandered to the wrong places, Liara corrected them, and soon, she found herself cupping Liara's breasts through a thin compression shirt.

She hadn't meant to be so direct, but this was what she had missed for two years after Ilos. For six months after Aratoht. For the past several strained weeks after Mars. It had been building and building, and only her guilt had held her back this long. Now, she finally had Liara in her arms, under her hands, and she wasn't going to let go.

Soon, she was running her palms up and down Liara's bare sides as she stripped the shirt up and off. Liara's skin was smooth, silky despite the countless tiny scales, but not quite as Shepard had remembered it. There were more scars—a large streaky one across Liara's left side that she didn't know the source of. Her heart clenched, and this time, her guilt was for not being there. Liara must have suffered that particular injury while she was in lock-up and neglected to tell her about it.

She ran her fingers carefully along the rippled skin, and Liara sucked in a sharp breath. Shepard pulled back, afraid she had caused pain, but Liara smiled to reassure her, taking her hands and guiding them. Under Liara's instruction, they roamed everywhere, and soon, Shepard took the initiative to explore on her own, bringing her lips to the sweet hollow of Liara's neck for more kisses as she re-learned the dips and planes of Liara's body.

Liara re-learned her as well. Heat bloomed throughout Shepard's body as clever fingers made work of her pants, unfastening the fly to tease the sensitive strip of skin between her hipbones. It was a spot Liara had learned long before, and Shepard felt a wave of love at the gesture. In some ways, she and Liara were like new lovers, coming together after so many long separations. In other ways, they were old ones, already familiar with each other. Now, even without speaking or even melding, they seemed to share one mind. They cast off the rest of their clothes and stood before each other, bare and vulnerable.

Shepard tried to speak at the sight before her, but her words ran dry. Liara had always been beautiful, but seeing her now was like coming upon a stream after days in the desert. She couldn’t remember a single reason why she had denied herself this love, this peace, this comfort. Liara’s full breasts and generous hips and smooth stomach and beaming smile and adorable dotted freckles were everything she wanted in the world—no, the galaxy. No, the entire universe. “You’re beautiful,” she whispered again, although it was completely inadequate.

Her tone must have conveyed something of her emotions, because Liara took her hand, lacing their fingers together. She spoke the same hissing waves of words she had used before, and somehow, Shepard simply knew that Liara was calling her beautiful, too. She accepted the compliment with another kiss, gently leading Liara away from her terminal and back toward the bed.

They fell onto it together, limbs entwining. Even though she didn't need to speak, Shepard found herself doing so. The words spilled out, all the things she hadn't been able to bring herself to say with the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. "I love you," she said, caressing Liara's cheek and pressing their foreheads together. "I've loved you ever since I met you. I never stopped, not even when I died."

Liara spoke too, murmuring into her lips between kisses, and though Shepard couldn't understand, she sensed that whatever Liara was whispering was full of the same love she had just expressed. She could sense it in Liara's touch, see it in her eyes, feel it deep within her heart...

With some surprise, she realized they weren't just her own feelings. Liara was melding with her—a light request for entrance to her mind rather than a demand, but enough of an intrusion for her to sense. The presence there hesitated, waiting for her permission. She gave it gladly, lifting Liara's arms up above her head and pinning them to the mattress even as she let Liara into her mind.

Touches and emotions blended together into a tapestry of feelings. One moment, she was overwhelmed by the physical, rocking into the lean thigh Liara had pressed between her legs and enjoying the feel of Liara's wrists trapped in her hands. The next, she was somewhere deep in Liara's head, feeling a surge of utter relief. Liara was  _ relieved _ to finally be connecting this way again, and Shepard had the sense of coming home.

This time, when Liara thought at her, she understood.  _ 'Shepard. I've missed you.' _

The words were simple, but tied to so much feeling that Shepard's eyes watered with tears. In those three words, 'I've missed you', Liara offered pain and longing and joy—sadness for their separations, and gratitude for their reunions. Shepard smiled despite the wet tracks on her cheeks. She let go of Liara's wrists and kissed her soft lips instead.  _ 'I missed you, too.' _

Even though they could speak now, they found that they didn't need to. Shepard began kissing her way slowly down Liara's bare chest, leaving hot, sticky trails wherever her mouth wandered. Liara started whimpering, arching beneath Shepard's lips as she nipped and sucked, and Shepard felt a swell of pride. That, at least, was the same. She still had the ability to make Liara shudder and keen for her.

Liara's fingers twined in Shepard's hair as she kept making her way lower, lower, past the stiff peaks of Liara's breasts and the shallow dip of her navel. She lavished both with attention as she passed, but didn't linger long. She had a more important goal, and she didn't want to wait any longer.

When Liara spread her legs, Shepard knew she was welcome. She slid further down on the bed, draping both of Liara's knees over her shoulders and kissing up along one lightly scaled thigh. She dug in with her teeth once, just enough to make Liara hiss, and stared in satisfaction at the dusky purple bruise that formed. ' _ This is perfect. You're perfect.' _

_ 'I'm far from perfect,' _ Liara protested, but Shepard knew she was really pleased.  _ 'But we are perfect together.' _

_ 'I'm sorry it took me so long...' _

_ 'I'm sorry I didn't make you feel welcome...' _

Shepard felt a twinge of regret. Through the meld, she came to realize that Liara had wanted to share her bed, and her body, and everything else much sooner.  _ 'It's okay. I understand.' _

They didn't need to talk about how the horrors of Earth had changed things. Both of them understood. Determined to put it as far from her mind as possible, Shepard refocused on Liara. The vision before her was the loveliest she had ever seen—a rival for the first time they had come together this way. Liara had been charming then in her innocence, but now, she was confident, self-assured, hardened by everything they had been through, but not broken.

She was, Shepard thought, more like a matriarch now than a maiden despite her age.

Liara's body had opened to her like a flower beneath the sun. The outer lips of her azure petaled apart, all shimmering shades of blue and violet, and Shepard stared in awe. It was better than she remembered. She wasn't quite sure what she had done to deserve this.

_ 'Saving the galaxy, again,'  _ Liara told her.  _ 'Now, Shepard, please...' _

Shepard didn't hesitate any longer. She brought her mouth closer, dragging her tongue up in a long, slow swipe that slid past Liara's entrance and stopped just beneath the sensitive ridge of her clit. Liara's fingers tightened on the back of her head, and the muscles in her thighs twitched, but the only sound she made was a low sigh. Shepard felt a pulse of arousal thrum across the connection between them, and so she repeated the same stroke, getting Liara re-accustomed to her touch.

Soon, they were rolling and shifting together like the old lovers they were, following each other's rhythms on instinct. Liara's soft moans became louder, higher pitched, and once more, she started saying things in her beautiful language—only this time, connected to Liara through the union, Shepard could understand.

_ "Goddess, Shepard, your tongue... I've missed you... I love you... Please, please don't stop..." _

That last request became a mantra. Liara repeated it over and over again until the words slurred together.  _ "Please, please don't stop, pleasedon'tstop, don'tstopdon'tstopdon't—"  _

The moment Shepard formed a seal around Liara's clit, she was lost. Her body stiffened, then melted, and Shepard felt a splash of heat spill beneath her lips and run down her chin. She resisted the temptation to gather it all up and kept sucking, painting circles around and around the twitching ridge of Liara's clit until the grip on her hair was almost painful. The sharp tugging might have hurt, but a bolt of pleasure shooting between her own legs distracted her. Liara's peak was also hers, and her inner walls rippled too, without any contact at all.

But she wasn't without contact for long. Half way through their shared release, Liara shot up from the bed, taking Shepard by complete surprise. Blue-white light flashed around her, and she suddenly found herself flat on her back, Liara's fingers embedded within her and Liara's teeth against her throat. It was a surprising display of dominance, something the shy virgin she had first taught how to do this never would have tried. Shepard thrust herself into Liara's palm, catching her clit against the heel of her lover's hand and riding out the final shivers of her release.

By the time she came down, she was breathless and confused and happy. She wasn't sure what position they were tangled in. Liara was on top of her—sort of—but she had enough space to bring her hand between Liara's legs to take the place of her mouth. Eager to keep going, to make this moment last for as long as possible, she pushed two of her own fingers past Liara's entrance, marveling at the way her lover's satin walls fluttered around her.

Inside each other at the same time, it was even more difficult to figure out where the boundaries lay between them. There  _ were _ no boundaries between them. Their mouths left echoes wherever they roamed, and Shepard couldn't tell whether it was the tender bite of Liara's nails or her own digging into her skin. It didn't matter. Only they mattered. Only this, the two of them together, for now and always, with no more reason to hold back.

_ 'I love you.' _

_ 'I love you too...' _

The next time they came, it was in bursting starlight. Their eyes remained locked the whole time, and they gazed at each other with utter love and devotion. Words weren't needed in any language. Sentences would have only slowed down their feelings. Their mouths came together for something better—a kiss—tasting and taking until they slumped down into a heaving pile, dripping with sweat and come and utterly exhausted.

_ 'I should probably fix our translators,' _ Liara thought after a very long time. She removed her sticky hand from between Shepard's thighs and laughed softly.  _ 'After we clean up.' _

Shepard made a noise of protest. She shifted from her side and rolled on top of Liara again, pinning her to the mattress.  _ 'No. I like this.' _

Liara didn't protest. They remained lying together a while longer, until the chill of the cabin got too uncomfortable against their naked skin and Shepard was forced to pull one of the topsheets over their cooling bodies.

_ 'Stay with me,' _ Liara thought, before Shepard could ask herself.  _ 'Stay for as long as you can.' _

There was a tinge of sadness and resignation in the request. Both of their hearts sank with the knowledge that, soon, duty would call. They would be forced back into the thick of the war they were both trying to win. There wouldn't always be time for moments like this, where they could simply lie in each other's arms and forget everyone else.

Nevertheless, Shepard agreed.  _ 'I promise, I'll stay as long as I can.' _

Both of them knew she wasn't only talking about staying in bed.

_ 'Me too.' _

They drifted off into a deep, satisfied sleep, letting the meld taper off gradually. Neither of them wanted to be the first to let go.


End file.
